—n. - (also freelancer) person, usu. Self-employed, working for several employers on particular assignments.

- (attrib.) (freelance editor). —v. (-cing) act as a freelance. —adv. As a freelance. [free lance, a medieval mercenary]

n. Member of an international fraternity for mutual help and fellowship with elaborate secret rituals. freemasonry n.

adj. - (of hens etc.) Roaming freely; not kept in a battery.

- (of eggs) produced by such hens.

n. - swimming race in which any stroke may be used.

- wrestling allowing almost any hold.

v. - ride a bicycle with the pedals at rest.

- act without constraint.

v. Preserve (food) by freezing and then drying in a vacuum.

n. - ship or aircraft for carrying freight.

- us freight-wagon.

v. (-ies, -ied) (usu. As frenchified adj.) Colloq. Make french in form, manners, etc.

n. Man of french birth or nationality.

modulation n. Electronics modulation by varying carrier-wave frequency.

- n. (pl. -ies) 1 commonness of occurrence.

- frequent occurrence.

- rate of recurrence (of a vibration etc.); number of repetitions in a given time, esp. Per second. [related to *frequent]